Every year on Sept. 30, the world celebrates National Extra Virgin Olive Oil Day, which turns the attention to one of the kitchen’s most familiar and flexible ingredients. From sautéing vegetables and frying eggs to baking cakes and finishing a bowl of soup, extra virgin olive oil can take on far more roles than its usual place in a salad dressing.

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmtIEC2 G:C8:? @=:G6 @:= 5@6D >@C6 E92? AC@G:56 2 4@@<:?8 >65:F>] xED 7=2G@C 42? 567:?6 2 7:?:D965 5:D9[ :ED C:49?6DD 42? C6A=246 @E96C 72ED :? 46CE2:? C64:A6D 2?5 :ED 492C24E6C 42? 492?86 56A6?5:?8 @? E96 @=:G6D[ C68:@? 2?5 92CG6DE 369:?5 E96 3@EE=6] }2E:@?2= tIEC2 ':C8:? ~=:G6 ~:= s2J @776CD 2 C62D@? E@ =@@< 36J@?5 E96 ?F>36CD 2?5 C64@?D:56C H92E E9:D A2?ECJ DE2A=6 42? 24EF2==J 5@]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmp=E9@F89 @=:G6 @:= C6>2:?D[ 2D @=:G6 @:= 6IA6CE y@2?2 {@FC6?ç@ HC@E6 :? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]7@@5:?DA:C2E:@?]4@>^FD^@=:G6\@:=\:D\@?6\@7\E96\>@DE\F?56C6DE:>2E65\:?8C65:6?ED\:?\E96\<:E496?^Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmu@@5 x?DA:C2E:@?k^2m[ “@?6 @7 E96 >@DE F?56C6DE:>2E65 :?8C65:6?ED :? E96 <:E496?[” :ED C6249 4@?E:?F6D E@ 8C@H] %96 x?E6C?2E:@?2= ~=:G6 r@F?4:= AC@;64ED 8=@32= @=:G6 @:= 4@?DF>AE:@? H:== C6249 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]:?E6C?2E:@?2=@=:G6@:=]@C8^@=:G6\D64E@C\DE2E:DE:4D\5646>36C\a_ad\2?5\7@C642DED^Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmb]cc >:==:@? E@??6Dk^2m :? E96 a_ad E@ a_ae 4C@A J62C[ H9:49 DF886DED E92E 6G6? 2D 4@@<D 2C6 DE:== =62C?:?8 E@ 2AAC64:2E6 :ED 492C24E6C 2?5 7=2G@C[ E96 <:E496? DE2A=6 :D 7:?5:?8 2 H:56C 2F5:6?46 2C@F?5 E96 H@C=5]k^Am
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8Qm|@C6 E92? ;FDE 2?@E96C 4@@<:?8 @:=k^9am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmtIEC2 G:C8:? @=:G6 @:= :D E96 9:896DE 8C256 @7 @=:G6 @:=[ >256 D@=6=J E9C@F89 >6492?:42= @C @E96C A9JD:42= >6E9@5D 2?5 >66E:?8 DEC:4E 496>:42= 2?5 D6?D@CJ DE2?52C5D[ H9:49 :?4=F56 7C66 24:5:EJ @7 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]:?E6C?2E:@?2=@=:G6@:=]@C8^@=:G6\H@C=5^@=:G6\@:=^nQ C6=lQ?@7@==@HQm?@ >@C6 E92? _]gTk^2m] qFE 6G6? H:E9:? E92E 42E68@CJ[ ?@ EH@ 3@EE=6D ?646DD2C:=J E2DE6 E96 D2>6] ~=:G6 G2C:6EJ[ 8C@H:?8 4@?5:E:@?D 2?5 AC@5F4E:@? >6E9@5D 42? D92A6 2? @:=’D D6?D@CJ AC@7:=6[ H:E9 t'~~D C2?8:?8 7C@> 8C66? 2?5 96C3246@FD E@ 7CF:EJ[ 3:EE6C 2?5 A6AA6CJ] %92E C2?86 8:G6D 4@@<D D@>6E9:?8 36J@?5 2 86?6C:4 4@@<:?8 72Ei 2? :?8C65:6?E E92E 42? 24E:G6=J 27764E E96 5:D9’D 7=2G@C]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%92E 7=2G@C >2<6D 6IEC2 G:C8:? @=:G6 @:= >@C6 E92? 2 ?6FEC2= 72E E92E D:>A=J 42CC:6D @E96C :?8C65:6?ED] p A6AA6CJ @:= 42? 255 3:E6 E@ 362?D[ 8C:==65 G686E23=6D @C D@FA[ H9:=6 2 >:=56C[ 7CF:E:6C G2C:6EJ 42? 4@>A=6>6?E 7:D9[ 7C6D9 E@>2E@6D @C 6G6? 56DD6CED] q6J@?5 E96 <:E496?[ @=:G6 @:= 42? 2=D@ D6CG6 2D 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^42CC:6C\@:=D^Qm42CC:6C @:=k^2m 7@C 6DD6?E:2= @:=D[ 2 C6>:?56C E92E :ED G6CD2E:=:EJ 6IE6?5D 36J@?5 E96 5:??6C E23=6] xE’D 2 8@@5 255:E:@? E@ 2 9@>6 @:= 4@==64E:@?[ 2=@?8D:56 @E96C @:=D =:<6 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^D49:D2?5C22?536C82>@E]4@>^4=@G6\@:=^Qm4=@G6 @:=k^2m]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 G6CD2E:=:EJ @7 6IEC2 G:C8:? @=:G6 @:= 92D 566A C@@ED :? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]D2=E2?5@=:G6]4@>^:E2=:2?\GD\DA2?:D9\GD\8C66<\@=:G6\@:=\9@H\E96J\4@>A2C6^Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQm|65:E6CC2?62? 4@@<:?8k^2m] x? vC6646[ :E :D FD65 :? D2=25D[ G686E23=6D 2?5 7@C 5:AA:?8 3C625j :? xE2=J[ :E 2AA62CD :? 5:D96D DF49 2D 3CFD496EE2 A2DE2[ 2?5 :D @7E6? FD65 2D 2 7:?:D9:?8 @:=j 2?5 :? $A2:?[ :E :D FD65 7@C 6G6CJE9:?8 7C@> 6G6CJ52J 4@@<:?8 2?5 7CJ:?8 E@ >2C:?256D[ D2F46D 2?5 D2=25D] xED C@=6 92D 4@?E:?F65 E@ DAC625 36J@?5 E96 |65:E6CC2?62?[ H96C6 >@56C? 4@@<D 2C6 7:?5:?8 6G6? >@C6 H2JD E@ FD6 :E]k^Am
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8Qm*6D[ 6IEC2 G:C8:? @=:G6 @:= 36=@?8D :? 56DD6CEk^9am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmtIEC2 G:C8:? @=:G6 @:= 42? 5@ >@C6 E92? C6A=246 3FEE6C :? 2 42<6] xED 7=2G@C 42? 364@>6 A2CE @7 E96 56DD6CE :ED6=7[ 3C:?8:?8 7CF:EJ[ 8C2DDJ @C A6AA6CJ ?@E6D E@ 42<6D[ 4@@<:6D[ 3C@H?:6D[ :46 4C62> 2?5 @E96C DH66ED] p k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]7@@52?5H:?6]4@>^@=:G6\@:=\56DD6CED\``hbeh_`Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmu@@5 U2>Aj (:?6 C@F?5FAk^2m 762EFC6D a` @=:G6 @:= 56DD6CED[ H9:49 :?4=F56 49@4@=2E6 42<6[ @=:G6 @:= :46 4C62>[ D6>:7C655@[ A2??2 4@EE2 2?5 4@@<:6D[ D9@H:?8 9@H H:56=J A2DECJ 4967D FD6 :E 36J@?5 D2G@CJ 4@@<:?8]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 <6J :D E@ 49@@D6 2? @:= E92E H@C<D H:E9 E96 @E96C 7=2G@CD] p >:=5[ 7CF:EJ t'~~ 42? 4@>A=6>6?E 4:ECFD 2?5 DE@?6 7CF:E[ H9:=6 2 >@C6 C@3FDE[ A6AA6CJ @:= 42? 3C:?8 56AE9 E@ 49@4@=2E6 @C 364@>6 E96 7:?:D9:?8 ?@E6 @? G2?:==2 :46 4C62>] %92E >2<6D t'~~ =6DD @7 2 3FEE6C DF3DE:EFE6 2?5 >@C6 @7 2 7=2G@C :?8C65:6?E :? :ED @H? C:89E] p k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]>2CE92DE6H2CE]4@>^@=:G6\@:=\@?\:46\4C62>\EC6?5\gebeahhQ C6=lQ?@7@==@HQm|2CE92 $E6H2CE 762EFC6k^2m @? E96 @=:G6\@:=\2?5\:46\4C62> A2:C:?8 D:>:=2C=J A@:?ED E@ E96 4@?EC2DE 36EH66? 4C62>J DH66E?6DD 2?5 E96 C:49?6DD @7 6IEC2 G:C8:? @=:G6 @:=]k^Am
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8Qm%96 t'~~ >2<6@G6Ck^9am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm~=:G6 @:= :D 86EE:?8 2 >@56C? >2<6@G6C 2D 3C2?5D 6IA6C:>6?E H:E9 7@C>2ED[ 7=2G@CD 2?5 A24<28:?8 56D:8?65 E@ >2<6 t'~~ 62D:6C 2?5 >@C6 2AA62=:?8 E@ FD6] p k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]7@@5?2G:82E@C]4@>^pCE:4=6^a_ae^_f^_g^@=:G6\@:=\D9@ED\A62C=D\2?5\A24<28:?8\D92<6\FA\42E68@CJ^Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmu@@5}2G:82E@C C6A@CEk^2m 9:89=:89ED @=:G6 @:= D9@ED[ E:?J @=:G6 @:= A62C=D 2?5 3C:89E6C[ 7=2G@C\7@CH2C5 3@EE=6D[ H:E9 4@>A2?:6D 4C62E:?8 ?6H H2JD E@ :?EC@5F46 E96 :?8C65:6?E E@ 4@?DF>6CD]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 492?86D 2=D@ D9@H FA :? 6G6CJ52J 4@@<:?8] k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]DA64:2=EJ7@@5]4@>^?6HD\>65:2^?6HD\762EFC6D^>6>36C\AC6DD\C6=62D6D^7:=:AA@\36C:@\6IA2?5D\AC@5F4E\=:?6\H:E9\=2F?49\@7\?6H\@=:G6\@:=\DAC2JD\2?5\DBF66K6\3@EE=6D^Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmu:=:AA@ q6C:@k^2m :?EC@5F465 t'~~ :? DAC2J\2?5\DBF66K6 3@EE=6D[ H9:49 8:G6 9@>6 4@@<D >@C6 4@?EC@= 7@C 6G6CJE9:?8 7C@> 4@2E:?8 G686E23=6D 2?5 2:C\7CJ6C A@E2E@6D E@ 5C:KK=:?8 D2=25D 2?5 7:?:D9:?8 D@FAD] ~E96C 3C2?5D AFD9 7=2G@C 7FCE96C[ :?4=F5:?8 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]42=:7@C?:2@=:G6C2?49]4@>^AC@5F4ED^3=24<\ECF77=6\7=2G@C65\6G@@\4967D\3@EE=6^Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQm3=24< ECF77=6\7=2G@C65 t'~~k^2m 56D:8?65 7@C 5C:KK=:?8 @G6C 7@@5D DF49 2D A2DE2[ G686E23=6D 2?5 6G6? >242C@?: 2?5 4966D6] k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 C6DF=E :D 2? @=:G6 @:= 42E68@CJ E92E :D DE2CE:?8 E@ =@@< =6DD =:<6 2 D:?8=6 A2?ECJ DE2A=6 2?5 >@C6 =:<6 2 4@==64E:@? @7 E@@=D 2?5 7=2G@CD 7@C 5:776C6?E ;@3D] %96 3@EE=6 >2J 36 492?8:?8[ 3FE E96 3:886C D9:7E :D :? 9@H 3C2?5D 2C6 6?4@FC28:?8 4@@<D E@ E9:?< 23@FE H92E t'~~ 42? 5@]k^Am
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8Qmv:G6 }2E:@?2= tIEC2 ':C8:? ~=:G6 ~:= s2J 2 7C6D9 DA:?k^9am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm}2E:@?2= tIEC2 ':C8:? ~=:G6 ~:= s2J :D 2 8@@5 6I4FD6 E@ DE@A EC62E:?8 t'~~ 2D 2 324<8C@F?5 :?8C65:6?E 2?5 24EF2==J E2DE6 H92E >2<6D @?6 3@EE=6 5:776C6?E 7C@> 2?@E96C] %CJ EH@ @:=D D:56 3J D:56[ :562==J @?6 >:=5 2?5 7CF:EJ 2?5 2?@E96C H:E9 2 >@C6 AC@?@F?465 A6AA6CJ 7:?:D9[ 7:CDE H:E9 2 =:EE=6 3C625 2?5 E96? @G6C E@>2E@6D @C D:>A=6 C@2DE65 G686E23=6D]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm*@F 42? 2=D@ AFE E92E 5:776C6?46 E@ H@C< :? 2 C64:A6[ H96E96C :E’D 2 D:>A=6 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^>@@?2?5DA@@?2?5JF>]4@>^8C66<\A2DE2^QmvC66< A2DE2k^2m @C 2? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^>@@?2?5DA@@?2?5JF>]4@>^@=:G6\@:=\3C625\5:A^Qm@=:G6 @:= 3C625 5:Ak^2m[ @C ECJ t'~~ D@>6H96C6 F?6IA64E65[ DF49 2D 56DD6CE] %96 8@2= :D =6DD 23@FE 7:?5:?8 @?6 “36DE” @:= E92? 5:D4@G6C:?8 H9:49 7=2G@CD J@F 24EF2==J 6?;@J]k^Am
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8Qm%96 6IEC2 G:C8:? @=:G6 @:= J@F 49@@D6 >2EE6CDk^9am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm~=:G6 @:= >2J 36 2 A2?ECJ DE2A=6[ 3FE t'~~ :D ?@E :?E6C492?8623=6 7C@> 3@EE=6 E@ 3@EE=6] }2E:@?2= tIEC2 ':C8:? ~=:G6 ~:= s2J :D 2 492?46 E@ C6E9:?< H96C6 :E 36=@?8D :? J@FC 4@@<:?8[ 7C@> E96 7:CDE DE6A @7 2 C64:A6 E@ E96 7:?2= 5C:KK=6[ 2?5 6G6? :?E@ 56DD6CE] (92E =@@<D =:<6 2 D:>A=6 4@@<:?8 72E 42?[ H:E9 E96 C:89E 3@EE=6 2?5 2AA=:42E:@?[ 364@>6 @?6 @7 E96 >@DE 6IAC6DD:G6 :?8C65:6?ED :? E96 <:E496?]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmzC:DE6? (@@5 :D 2 A9@E@8C2A96C[ 7@@5 HC:E6C[ C64:A6 56G6=@A6C 2?5 4C62E@C @7 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^>@@?2?5DA@@?2?5JF>]4@>^Qm|~~} 2?5 DA@@? 2?5 JF>k^2m] $96 :D 2=D@ E96 2FE9@C @7 “'686E2C:2? u2>:=J r@@<3@@<[” “u6C>6?E65 w@E $2F46 r@@<3@@<” 2?5 “w@E $2F46 r@@<3@@< 7@C q68:??6CD]” w6C H@C< 92D 366? 762EFC65 :? G2C:@FD @?=:?6 2?5 AC:?E AF3=:42E:@?D[ :?4=F5:?8 }qr[ $62EE=6 %:>6D[ t==6[ |2CE92 $E6H2CE[ u@C36D[ r9:428@ $F?\%:>6D 2?5 >@C6]k^Am
kAm%96 A@DE k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^?2E:@?2=\6IEC2\G:C8:?\@=:G6\@:=\52J^Qm}2E:@?2= tIEC2 ':C8:? ~=:G6 ~:= s2J AC@G6D E9:D <:E496? DE2A=6 42? 5@ >@C6 E92? J@F E9:?<k^2m 2AA62C65 7:CDE @? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>Qmu@@5 sC:?< {:76k^2m]k^Am